The "Middle East and Terrorism" Blog was created in order to supply information about the implication of Arab countries and Iran in terrorism all over the world. Most of the articles in the blog are the result of objective scientific research or articles written by senior journalists.

From the Ethics of the Fathers: "He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say, it is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but you are not exempt from undertaking it."

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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

First They Came for Mila Kunis - Ukraine's Anti-Semitism

by Oleksandr Feldman

There is a growing trend wherein
an anti-Semitic collection of hate-mongers are abusing the democratic
Parliament of Ukraine to spew messages and incite violence in ways that
we had hoped were relegated to the distant past.

One of the most recognizable figures of Ukrainian Jewish descent, the
beautiful and talented actress Mila Kunis, recently was targeted by a
member of the Ukrainian Parliament from the far-right Svoboda Party –
known for regularly injecting anti-Semitism into its speeches and public
pronouncements. He sneeringly proclaimed that she was "not Ukrainian
but a zhydovka." Zhydovka is a hurtful slur for a Jew, and this
was apparently a gutter effort to inject Jew-hatred into the acceptable
bounds of mainstream Ukrainian discourse.

Despite the widely accepted notion that we live in an ever-more
globalized world, too many people are skeptical that what happens in the
halls of some far-off parliament on the other side of the world bears
any impact on our way of life. On the contrary, events now developing
here in Ukraine should oblige every person who dreams of a more tolerant
and peaceful international community to sit up and take notice.

There is a growing trend wherein an anti-Semitic collection of
hate-mongers are abusing the democratic Parliament of Ukraine to spew
messages and incite violence in ways that we had hoped were relegated to
the distant past. In our recent elections, it was horrifying to witness
Svododa gain over 10% of the national vote. Like all ultra-nationalist
parties, they campaigned and were elected on a message intended to
inject fear into society. They shrilly warn that foreigners and
minorities are positioned to take over the country. Idolizing some of
the most virulently anti-freedom icons of generations past, including
most prominently the architect of Nazi propaganda, Joseph Goebbels,
Svoboda works hard to make hatred commonplace — and acceptable —
throughout Ukrainian society.

Regrettably, Svoboda Party leaders realize that they have fertile
ground on which to harvest such a dangerous agenda. While it has been on
the decline in recent decades, there is no disputing that
anti-Semitism, particularly among the less educated sectors of our
society, remains ingrained in the minds of all too many. Svoboda has
exploited the mistrust of Jews to gain popularity among some in the
less-advantaged classes who welcomed the chance to be part of campaigns
of hate.

If Svoboda's growing popularity goes unnoticed outside of the
Ukraine's borders, we may quickly reach a point of no return. At that
time, the idea of the party enjoying broad legislative powers to limit
freedoms of expression amongst those who think unlike them would serve
to reduce or completely prevent any immigration from nations they view
as un-Ukrainian. All this could happen despite the decisive steps of the
current government in Kiev to oppose the inroads made by Svoboda. One
would have to be utterly ignorant of the history of this region to be
unaware that campaigns begun ostensibly in the guise of populism and
democracy can quickly decline into mass chaos, violence and, as before,
genocide.

Thankfully, we are not near that point and there is no need yet to panic. The international institutions in place in the 21st
century are strong enough to notice the rise of this devil at an early
stage. Once, not long ago, the international community looked on in
silence as Hitler and the Nazis deluded the world into thinking that
their Jew-hatred was not worthy or "dangerous enough" to warrant global
condemnation.

When the world finally did take notice, it was too late.

Anti-Semitism and xenophobia are the most insidiously contagious
social diseases humanity has ever experienced. Civilized societies
become infected with these sicknesses before they even pause to assess
the damage that the illness is sure to impose.

This issue cries out for the immediate and sincere attention of the
international community, most notably the leadership of the American
Jewish community and the government of the United States of America.
Ukraine and the USA have developed a strong alliance defined by economic
partnerships and a diplomatic vision of how much there is that unites
us in working together to address threats and cultivate opportunities.
Should Svoboda continue to expand, it can only harm regional and
international agreements and impose instability on our mutual markets.

Hatred never ends with speech; it soon escalates to more violent
expressions. Nor can hatred be contained to any national borders,
particularly in today's world of social media and instant communication.

I appeal to all peaceful and caring leaders around the world to join
me in opposing everything that Svoboda represents. We all know that the
stakes are far too high for the world to be able to say, "We did not
know and therefore we did not act."

Oleksandr Feldman is a member of the Parliament of Ukraine and President of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee.

Source: http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/3570/ukraine-anti-semitism-mila-kunisCopyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.